Thursday, September 29, 2016

How to Live Stream from YouTube's Creator Studio

You may have noticed that Google+ no longer supports Google Hangouts On Air (GHOA) - a great tool that allowed users to record a Google Hangout and stream it live for outside viewing on YouTube. While the service is no longer housed on Google+, it has been moved over to YouTube. To access the new streaming system, users will need to first navigate to the YouTube Creator Studio. Inside the Creator Studio, you will notice a new tab on the left menu that says “Live Streaming.” Once you do that, you will enter an environment in which you will have two types of streaming available: Stream Now and Events.

Stream Now requires a user to download an encoder in order to utilize its features. This service would be ideal for streaming sports games, theater events, or classroom performances automatically to YouTube. It could even be configured as a live webcam of your classroom.

The Events method of streaming is very similar to the old process of creating a GHOA and does not require an encoder. By selecting Event from your dashboard, you are taken to a setup window that is very similar to what a GHOA event used to look like. Whether you immediately start an event or schedule one for later times; each of these options creates a direct link to a YouTube page from which your audience can open and view the stream. For more detailed instructions and a step-by-step tutorial video, check out the video below.